1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state scanning-type optical writing device for writing an image (latent image) on the surface of an image carrying member such as a photosensitive member, photosensitive paper or the like using a plumbus lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) light shutter array, light-emitting diode (LED) array or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, there have been various proposed optical writing devices which control the ON/OFF switching of each single pixel via a plurality of light signal emitting elements to form an image (latent image) on the surface of an image carrying member such as an electrophotographic photosensitive member, silver salt film, printing paper using silver salt material and the like. Light shutter elements such as PLZTs and the like, and light-emitting elements such as LEDs and the like have been proposed as light signal emitting elements. The light signal emitting elements are arranged in a main-scan direction, and form a light signal emitting array.
To form a full color image by using aforementioned type of light signal emitting elements, consideration may be given to providing three light signal emitting arrays so that the light signal emitting arrays correspond to red (R), green (G), and blue (B), respectively. Furthermore, consideration also may be given to arraying the light signal emitting arrays in the sub-scan direction. A disadvantage arises, however, as to the degree of precision with which light from said mutually independent light signal emitting elements irradiates the surface of the image carrying member.